Colleen Loverde is a junior dance major and journalism minor from the northwest suburbs of Chicago who is highly enthusiastic in the dance studio as well as the classroom. Colleen is passionate about discovering connections that exist among people and ideas and acknowledging cohesion and integration as necessities for growth and development. She is an avid learner, curious human, willing collaborator, crazy liberal and a playful weirdo. Any free moment she has is spent researching through reading books (as well as adding copious books to her Amazon cart…) or listening to a multitude of podcasts (aspiring NPR aficionado). She is obsessed with satire and secretly dreams of being adopted by the triumvirate of Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and John Oliver and or hosting an episode of SNL. You can find her engaging in silly shenanigans, enlightening discussions or a combination of the two.

Pre-Trip Blog
May 8

Hi readers! It is likely that you have all been made well aware about the excitement of the group. I know that I have been PUMPED for months and I can hardly contain my excitement! ? My desire to travel is overwhelming, and our intended destinations for this trip are perfect introductions to the foreign world. In many cases, people choose to travel in order to escape their normal environments and experience different cultures. However, for me the excitement truthfully comes from finding the similarity and or the humanity within these differences. Whether one examines a given nation’s history or contemporaries, culture or economy, society or politics, even the most seemingly disparate factions are rooted in our humanity. London will be a great first stop to ease us into a disparate world. I cannot necessarily say that it won’t be my favorite stop, but the progressive and escalating culture shock we will get to experience excites me. “Shock” implies the notion of being temporary or impermanent. And thus, shock innately wears off and the seemingly disparate can become familiar not by relying on our own biased exclusivities to contain our comfortability. We must first acknowledge the need for extreme discomfort as necessary to foster the inclusivity that one can acquire through the direct acknowledgement and interaction with other cultures. I intend to address this need as best as I can during this trip. I am sure that doing so will teach me a lot. ?

Furthermore, there are certain questions which one is faced with while traveling. Perhaps not everyone seeks to answer such questions, but an active reflection of them is key in order to learn from one’s travel experiences.

How do the people in this society operate? … There are a multitude of potential answers to be had. Societies and cultures are constantly evolving and at a faster pace than ever.

How does the traveling group operate?…People may travel alone, with their spouse, with their family, in a tour group, etc. The group that I am traveling with is comprised of communications majors who have some familiarity with each other (some more or less than others) In my own case, I will hop in with a group of people where I will gage the dynamic and find out where I will fit. ?

How am I, as an individual, effected by these experiences and interactions with other people?

The common denominator among these (essential… I believe) questions is importance of the PERSON or PEOPLE. Typically when we travel, we often refer to the PLACE or the experiences that the PLACE provides. However, it is more apt to say that the PEOPLE within the space that dictate the environments and therefore the experiences. I am traveling to London, Brugge and Amsterdam in order to experience the people, both past and present. I am exhilarated by the potential connections that have yet to be made. ?

Age 19

Major Journalism

Year Junior

Jessica is from Butler, PA about an hour north of Pittsburgh. She loves food, and is really looking forward to exploring the world and trying a variety of new foods. Another big part of her life is music. She listens to alternative rock music, and going to concerts has become part of her regular routine. She works at the Point Park News Service, and has a web/news internship with the Tribune Review this summer.

Today has finally arrived 

May 8,2016

Today I woke up filled with nerves and excitement.  It marks the beginning of what I’m positive will be a unforgettable trip!

I’m packed and ready to go. I have been since Friday. Since then my dog, Jinx, has hoped in my suitcase several times breaking my heart each time.

In this aspect I am the complete opposite of my unprepared twin sister, Alysha, who leaves Tuesday for her own trip abroad.  I did put writing this pre-trip post until the morning of our flight, nobody is perfect.

I took the week of from work to recover from the spring semester, and prepare for my trip in peace. Not having to go to work was quite the change for me, after working two jobs through the school year. I got my nails done, went shopping, slept in past 9 a.m. it was a much needed change of pace.

This will be my first flight! I’m very excited to get that over with. I’m not afraid to fly I’ve just never had the opportunity to fly. All of my family vacations growing up we drove to. This trip was my chance to see the world and I knew I had to take advantage of this great opportunity.

Speaking of my family I will miss them.  I will be missing Emma’s (my little sister and best friend) senior night of Lacrosse at Knoch High School and her prom! I’m sure she will look beautiful and be the life of the part like she always is.

Well my parents are getting antsy and want us to begin our journey to the airport. Here’s to safe travels and I wonderful time! And of course I can’t forget to mention how excited I am to try new foods across the world!